For simplicity, this document primarily describes the invention as it relates to a breath volatile organic compounds testing device for roadside cannabis testing, but the invention is usable in other manners. One example is a volatile organic compounds testing device for any air handling system, especially those systems containing volatile organic compounds resulting from second hand smoke and/or indoor agricultural.
Current volatile organic compounds testing devices reversibly sorb and thermally desorb volatile organic compounds in exhaled breath and/or airflow to prepare a concentrated sample using a pre-concentrator or similar apparatus. The concentrated sample is transported into a separate gas cell where spectroscopy is performed. In such devices sequential desorption is commonly used to target selected compounds by purging the pre-concentrator of non-targeted compounds using heating and venting. These devices require a complex gas handling system, such as a vacuum pump or gas pump and switches.
It is advantageous to use a detector with replaceable parts to reduce contamination and a disposable pre-concentrator has been proposed. Yet, a replaceable spectroscopic detector that reversibly sorbs volatile organic compounds contained in exhaled breath and/or airflow and prepares a concentrated sample within a heated and disposable gas cell configured for spectroscopy has not been proposed.